Refrigerator door



, April 17, 1928.

E. R. HAMMOND REFRIERATR DOOR Filed Oct. 12, 192'? 2 Sheets-Sheet l Amr April 17, 1928.

E. R. HAMMOND REFRIGERATOR DOOR Filed 06t- 12. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EARL R. HAMMOND, F FREMONT, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR TO CRYSTAL REFRIGERAT- ING C0., OF FREMONT, NEBRASKA, A CORPORATION OF NEBRASKA.

` REFBIGERATOB DOOR.

Application led October 12, 1927. Serial No. 225,717.

The primary obect of this invention is to provide a" steel Wa led refrigerator door and casing therefor so constructed and arranged as to guard the refrigerator against loss of cold air due to the conductivity of the metallic walls of the door and casing. The present invention has to do with the construction of metallic walled refrigerators, and in view of the fact that metal is a ready conductor of heat, it is highly desirable to interrupt the continuit of the metal of the inner and outer wa l surfaces, so that the transference of heat units will be reduced to a minimum.

With this end `in view, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a non-conductive scalino gasket in such a way as to not only seal the door against the discharge of air, but to also act as an insulating barrier between the inner and outer metal portions of the structure which is h i hly desirable for the reason stated.

n this respect, the invention may be said to consist in a combination refrigerator door asket and circuit breaker. More specificaly, the invention consists in the mounting and arrangement of the gasket in any one of several ways, so that it will subserve the double function of a sealing gasket and circuit breaker.

Further objects and. details will appear `from a description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein f Fi re 1 is a face view of the interior of a re rigerator door embodying the features of the present invention Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an ,enlarged detail taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 showing the preferred urrangeme'nt of the asket and door flange cooperating therewit ;and

Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are views similar to Fig. 3 showing various modifications in detail of the arrangement of the door and gasket.

Referrin particularly to the construction shown in igs. 1, 2 and 3, the door comprises an open marginal wooden frame 10 of rectangular formation within which is located a filling 11 of cork or other heat insulating material. The walls of the door are preferably formed of steel and comprise an inner plate 12 having marginal flanges 13, which preferably extend in slightly oblique relation to the inner plate and serve to em- 5 brace the outer edge walls of the door frame.

The flanges 13 terminate in outwardly extending lips 14 which interlock with the grooves or channels 15 formed by reversely bending the marginal ed e of an outer metallic plate 16. Outside o the metallic plate 16 is a wooden facingpanel 17, the edges of which extend substantially to the same degree as the edges of the grooved portion 15 and the wooden panel is surfaced by a o5 metallic plate 18 having marginal flanges 19, which latter overlap the edges of the wooden panel without, however, touching the grooved metallic edges 15, so that a breakor gap is thus afforded between the metallic inner and outer surfaces of the door, which gap affords a break in the continuity of the metal with an attendant reduction of the heat transference from one metallic surface to the other. Y

The grooved interlocking fian e 15, as shown, is bent obliquely 'inwardly away from the inner face of the protruding portion of the wooden panel, and this grooved flange co-acts with a gasket 2O of cork, rubber tubing or other sultable sealing material, which gasket occupies a position within a shouldered recess 21 in the wooden frame 22 of the door` casing. The frame is provided alon its inner face with an edge face plate 23, t e outer edge of which protrudes beyond the base of the shouldered portion 21 to furnish a socket for the retention of the gasket which lies between'this protruding edge and the inturned fiange 24 of an outer metallic `90 face plate 25.

The inner face of the door casing is afforded by the inner plate 26, which is overlap d by a flange 27 at right angles to the eggs plate 23. With the construction indicated, g5 the gasket will afford a non-conducting or insulating barrier between the edge face plate 23 and the outer face plate 25; so that the continuity in the metal composing the inner and outer walls of the door casing will 10o' be thus interrupted withV a consequent reduction in the transference of heat at this point.

The arrangement of the metallic surface plates is thus not only interrupted by the gasket, but the metallic portions also serve to afford a socket for the proper Vretention of the gasket in sch a way as to co-act with the door flange in maintaining the door in sealed relation with respect to the walls of the opening.

It will e understood that the construction shown extends completely around all sides of the door opening so that the sealing will be com lete` around the Walls of the door. It wi l also be observed that the arrangement of the door is one which affords metallic inner and outer surfaces, but the contact of the metal is interrupted, so that the outer panel facing will not be chilled to an extent which will cause condensation of moisture or sweating on the outer surface of the door which would often take place if the metal extended uninterruptedly from the interior to the exterior of the door.

In like manner, the outer metallic surfaces of the casing and contiguous portions of the refrigerator are preserved against excessive chilling with consequent condensation and a transference of heat units along the metal. The arrangement is one which gives all of the advantages of a metal construction which is rigid, non-shrinking, non-warping and non-swelling without any of the disadvantages due to the conductive properties of metal.

Fig. 4 differs from that previously described only in the fact that the recess 21 in the inner wall of the door casing is located at a greater depth within the outer surface of the door which necessitates a shoulder 10L in the edge of the wooden door frame 10 and a corresponding shoulder 13IIL in the marginal ilanre 13. In other respects, the construction is t 1e same as that first described, so that detailed reference thereto is not deemed necessary.

The modification shown in Fig. 5 consists l in the provision of a gasket 20 which lies within theV protrudin edge 26 of the inner metallic wall 26 of t e door casing and the wall of a shouldered recess 21, the recess in this instance beine formed along the inner marginal edge of the door casing rather than along the outer edge thereof as in the construction tirst described. In this instance, the .door itself is substantiall identical with the door first described, save or the fact that the grooved marginal portion 15'l and the flange interlocked therewith lie flat against the inner surface of the wooden facing panel 17 rather than in diverging relation thereto, as in Fig. 3.

In the modification shown in Fi 6, the gasket is positioned within a shoul ered rercess 21b which is located somewhat further witliin the e A of the door casing than the rece shown 1n Fig. 3, which brings the con- :,eeaase tacting face of the gasket well within the outer edge of the door casing, and, in this instance, the wooden frame 10 of the door is shouldered at the point l()b and the metallic edge plate 13 is shouldered at the ointl", so that the edge of the door will ie within the shouldered portion of the casing rather than exterior thereof, as in the construction tirst described.

In the. modification shown in Fig. 7, the door itselll is in all respects similar to the one shown in Fig. 4, but a gasket similar to the one shown in Fig. 5 is employed, which is entered into a recess 21 centrally located within the edge of the door casing, so that the gasket protrudes centrally from the door casing4 aud atlords a sto for the shouldered portion of the door. n Fig. 7 the inner metallic plate 26 and the outer metallic plate 25, which furnish the inner and outer walls of the refrigerator, are both inwardly bent to afford the constituent portions 23 of the metallic facing, and cach of these portions is provided with a flange 23d inturned into the recess in the wooden framing of the door casing.

rI`he various modificatior are shown as exeniplitications of the invention, it being understood, however, that other modifications in the location and arrangement of the gasket and the co-operating portions of the door may be made without departing f rom the rinciple of the invention.

The gasliet, as shown, may be of the tubular formation indicated in Fig. 3, which specifically illustrates the use of a rubber tubing for the purpose, or the gasket may be of solid rubber or cork, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, or it may be of wood, composition or of cotton or wool enclosed in a rubberized fabric. In each instance shown, the gasket is socketed in such a way that it may be readily removed for pur oses of renewal without the necessity for t e employment of attaching means, the socket affording a mounting forthe gasket into which the latter may be wedged Vor pressed and held by frction alone.

The construction is one which enables the refrigerator as a whole to be constructed with metallic walls upon a wooden framing, the walls being packed with an insulatinv filling, and this results in a structure whicli is free from any tendency to become warped or otherwise distorted, and the provision of the insulating or circuit breakine` gasket in any one of the forms shown and described, avoids the ill effects of thermal transference by conduction through metal which are overcome or reduced to a negligible degree.

I claim:

l. In a refrigerator, the combination of a door easing provided with inner and outer metallic wall plates, a metallic edge facing plate, the metallic Wall plates contiguous to lill) the edge being spaced to afford a socket recess, an insulating compressible gasket socketed within said recess, and a door rovided with inner and outer metallic wal plates and a metallic edge plate, the edge plate being shouldered to afford an abutment ada ted to engage said gasket when the door is c osed, substantially as described.

2. In a refrigerator, the combination of a door casing provided with inner and outer metallic wall plates, a metallic edge facing plate, the metallic wall plates contiguous to the edge being spaced to afford a socket rccess, an insulating compressible gasket socketed within said recess, and a door provided with inner and outer metallic wall plates and a metallic edge late, the edge plate being shouldered to ai 'ord an abutment adapted to enifage said gasket when the door is closed, and t e door being provided with a metalliisurfaced panel, a gap being provided between the surfacing ot' the panel and the metallic edge plate of the door, substantially as described.

3. In a refrigerator, the combination of a door casing rovided with inner and outer metallic wallpplates, a metallic edge facing plate, the metallic wall plates contiguous to the edge being spaced to afford a socket recess, an insulating coinpressible gasket socketed within said recess, and a door coinprising a wooden marginal frame, a front and rear metallic wall plate and a metallic edge plate enclosing the frame, the front wall late and the metallic edge plate being united by an interlocking marglnal flange constituting an abutment ada ted to engage the asket, substantially as escribcd.

4. n a refrigerator, the combination of a door casing provided with inner and outer metallic wall plates, a metallic edge facing plate, the metallic wall plates contiguous to the edge being spaced to afford a socket recess, an insulating compressible gasket sock- `eted within said recess, a door comprising a venting conductivity of heat units through the metal, substantially as described.

5. In a refrigerator, the combination of a door casing comprising a wooden frame having front and rear metallic wall plates and a metallic edge plate, the frame being shoull dered, and one of the contiguous metallic plates being extended beyond the margin of the shouldered portion to afford in conjunction therewith a. socket, a compressible sealing gasket entered and held withinD saidV socket, and a door adapted when closedto abut against said gasket, substantially as described.,

6. In a refrigerator, the combination of a door casing comprising a wooden frame having front and rear metallic wall plates and a metallic edge plate, the frame being shouldered, and one of the contiguous metallic plates being extended beyond the margin of the shouldered portion to afford in conjunction therewith a socket, a compressible sealing gasket entered and held within said socket, and a door provided with inner and outer metallic wall plates and a metallic edge plate, the edge plate bein shouldered to afford an abutment adapte to engage said gasket when the door is closed, substantially as described.

7. In a refrigerator, the combination of a door casing comprising a wooden frame having front and rear metallic wall plates and a metallic edge plate, the frame being sliouldered, and one of the contiguous metallic plates being extended beyond the margin of the shouldered portion to afford in conjunction therewith a socket, a com ressible sealing gasket entered and hel within said socket, and a door provided with inner and outer metallic wall plates and a metallic edge plate, the edge plate bein shouldered to afi'ord an abutment adapte to engage said gasket when the door is closed, and the door being provided with a metallic surfaced panel, a gap being provided between the surfacing of the panel and the metallic edge plate of the door, substantially as described.

8. In a refrigerator, the combination of a door casing comprising a wooden frame having front and rear metallic wall plates and a metallic edge plate, the frame being shouldered, and one of the contiguous metallic plates being extended beyond the margin of the shouldered portion to afford in conjunction therewith a socket, a compressible sealing gasket entered and held within said socket, and a door comprising a wooden marginal frame, a front and rear metallic wall late and a metallic ed e late enclosing t e frame, the front wal late and the metallic edge plate being united by an interlocking marginal flange constituting an abutment adapted to engage the gasket, substantially as described.

9. In a refrigerator, the combination of a door casing comprising a wooden frame having front and rear metallic wall plates and a metallic edge plate, the frame being shouldered, and one of the contiguous metallic plates being extended beyond the margin of the shouldered portion to afford in conjunction therewith a socket, a compressible sealing gasket entered and held within said socket, a door comprising a woodenmarlue lill

4 1,eee,ees

ginal frame, a. front and rear metallic woll metallic wall plate, and overlying the ilange, plate and a. metallic edge plate enclosing nndametallic panel facing provided with an the frame, the front wail plate and the meinturned flange in spaced relation to the IO tallic edge plate being united by an interflange to afford a gap for preventing con- 5 locking marginal flange constituting :in (luctivity of heat units through the metal,

abutment adapted to engage the gasket, and substantially as described. a wooden panel superposed upon the front EARL R. HAMMOND.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

mehr No. aeeezsa. Granted April 17; 192s, :o

EARL R. HAMMOND.

`lt is hereby certified that the assignee in the above numbered patent wes erroneously described and specified as Crystal Refrigerating CO., whereas said assignee should have been descrihedvnnd specified as Crystal Refrigerator Co., as shown by the`records of 'assignments in this Off ice; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of May.' A. D. 1928.

n M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

4 1,eee,ees

ginal frame, a. front and rear metallic woll metallic wall plate, and overlying the ilange, plate and a. metallic edge plate enclosing nndametallic panel facing provided with an the frame, the front wail plate and the meinturned flange in spaced relation to the IO tallic edge plate being united by an interflange to afford a gap for preventing con- 5 locking marginal flange constituting :in (luctivity of heat units through the metal,

abutment adapted to engage the gasket, and substantially as described. a wooden panel superposed upon the front EARL R. HAMMOND.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

mehr No. aeeezsa. Granted April 17; 192s, :o

EARL R. HAMMOND.

`lt is hereby certified that the assignee in the above numbered patent wes erroneously described and specified as Crystal Refrigerating CO., whereas said assignee should have been descrihedvnnd specified as Crystal Refrigerator Co., as shown by the`records of 'assignments in this Off ice; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of May.' A. D. 1928.

n M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

